


Poison Pill

by SusanaR



Series: Desperate Hours Alternative Universe G version (DH AU G) [34]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Poison, Spies & Secret Agents, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-06-23
Packaged: 2018-02-05 20:56:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1831993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SusanaR/pseuds/SusanaR
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before the Black Gate, Lieutenant Dervorin of the Ithilien Rangers, Lord Faramir's sometimes-spy master, makes his preparations for the battle. Prince Amrothos does not entirely approve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Poison Pill

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: A cut-scene of sorts, set before "Surprisingly Victorious," Chapter 7

Prince Amrothos of Dol Amroth took a last moment to sharpen his sword and strengthen his composure. They went to face the Enemy, possibly to their last battle. His father Imrahil was to join Lord Aragorn in leading the vanguard, so that left Amrothos to command the Dol Amroth cavalry. The Ithilien rangers had spent the morning at their flank, and were only now preparing to separate to join the infantry and bow-men. 

To Amrothos' immediate left, stood his cousin's friend, Lieutenant and- apparently- spy master - Dervorin. The ranger incongruously pulled a small jewel case out of his belt pouch. Retrieving what looked like a tooth - a molar - Dervorin squeezed a small bead of adhesive ointment from a tube onto the tooth, and then stuck it into the back of his mouth. 

Amrothos found the whole scene very unsettling. "What in Eru's name is that, Dervorin?" He demanded. 

"You know what it is, imp." Dervorin said with weary fondness, "We had the same teacher, after all, you and I." 

That was true, so far as it went. Amorthos' grandfather Adrahil had once showed them his own poison tooth, when Amrothos was seven years old and Faramir and Dervorin were eleven. Adrahil's furthest back lower-molar had been removed. For all the time that his grandchildren - and their friends - had known him, Adrahil used a false tooth made out of shell and specially treated wood. But he also had a poison tooth in a special box, one made of treated wood strong enough to keep him from releasing it accidentally, but not strong enough to withstand a determined and targeted bite. So yes, Amrothos knew what it was. 

"Take it out and put it away, then." Amrothos ordered firmly, Prince-and-Captain to Lieutenant. "There will be death a plenty on the field today, Dev. No need for you to carry your own with you." 

Dervorin sighed. "'Rothos, listen to me. No, don't give Sir Bellasaer a subtle signal to fetch your Adar. Just listen." 

Amrothos, who had been about to signal to his second to get his father, reluctantly stopped. 

"I am not suicidal." Dervorin reassured him quietly, a laugh and a smile in his eyes despite his somber expression and the grim circumstances,"I do not want to die. But if today goes poorly, I cannot be captured and interrogated. The cost could be too high. I will wait as long as I can - I'm confident enough in my own abilities to know that I'm of more use to Gondor alive than dead. But I will break, if I'm tortured long enough. And I know too much about Faramir's plans, should we lose the day. I must not give that up, and there may come a time when I cannot live and have that information be safe. Do you understand, little Ro?" 

Amrothos swallowed a lump in his throat, then pulled Dervorin into a tight embrace. "I understand it, though I like it little. Be careful out there, brother." 

"Always." Dervorin promised, with a jaunty grin, "After all, I'm not the hero." 

Prince Imrahil's youngest son waited until his cousin's lieutenant had walked away. Then he said, too softly for Dervorin to hear, "But it's not much safer to be the hero's shadow, now is it?"


End file.
